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LifeSTYLE BlogFri, 26 Jan 2018 15:18:07 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.4116348872TWAhttp://www.bridezel.com/2018/01/26/twa/
http://www.bridezel.com/2018/01/26/twa/#commentsFri, 26 Jan 2018 07:42:55 +0000http://www.bridezel.com/?p=878I’ve neglected writing for some time because I’ve been rendezvousing with another love, photography. I enjoy the novels created through pictures, the stories told through the eyes of my clients, or muses as I like to call them, the unspoken but seen.

I’ve been meaning to get back to writing, but I knew it would take something core-shaking to bring me back here. I just didn’t know it would be my hair.

shot by @octaviajbeauty on instagram.

I’ve been natural for countless years. This chop was just supposed to be a few inches off here and there of the heat damaged hair, but I got carried away and continued cutting and messing up and trying to correct my mistakes until finally, I had to involve my brother who is a barber, to finish the job. When he was done, I was in shock. I couldn’t believe my hair was gone.

I no longer felt beautiful because I didn’t know what to do with this new look. Sometimes we get so used to our own norm that we forget change is inevitable. Mistakes happen. But beauty can be birthed from mistakes.

I began to quickly learn that I didn’t feel comfortable or beautiful without the hair I had become accustomed to. I talked a good talk about self love, but I wasn’t living it.

My self love was circumstantial.

It was contingent upon the length of my hair. I started wearing a short wig and I told myself I’d wear wigs until my hair grew out so no one would see how short it was.

After a full day of wearing a wig, I knew I didn’t want to wear one everyday for months. So, I washed my hair and looked at it and decided I’d wear it out even if I hated it and eventually I’d convince myself that I was still beautiful.

Day by day my confidence grew. With the help of my family and friends (thanks for FaceTiming and letting me vent about it) I begin to actually believe I was beautiful.

Insecurities can make us believe things that are false about ourselves. They can also dictate how we participate in life.

It only took me a week to get over this insecurity about my hair because of prayer, family, and friends.

Sometimes our insecurities may seem trivial, but ask yourself how large of an impact it is having on your overall quality of life. If I didn’t act quickly, I would have continued to find ways to isolate myself from the world because I did not want anyone to see my hair. You see how quickly things can spiral just because of something that “seems” so insignificant.

It’s not enough to say you love yourself inwardly and outwardly. You must also think about your contribution in life and how significant it really is. We are all purposed with gifts that are meant to reach beyond our thoughts. You can’t give that gift if you allow insecurities to blind you. So I challenge you to do what I did, think about your contribution and how being controlled by your own insecurities can hinder you from making it. Then attack the insecurities head on and seek help and encouragement from the people in your life that really love you and love themselves. You can overcome anything at anytime if you allow yourself to.

]]>http://www.bridezel.com/2018/01/26/twa/feed/2878Go big, Go bold, or Go home!http://www.bridezel.com/2017/07/07/go-big-go-bold-or-go-home/
http://www.bridezel.com/2017/07/07/go-big-go-bold-or-go-home/#respondFri, 07 Jul 2017 17:50:25 +0000http://www.bridezel.com/?p=851Have you ever seen a bold outfit on someone else and said “I love that but I know I could never pull that off.”

This is false. Why can’t you pull it off?

I have said this in the past. At some point in our lives we may have all said this to ourselves about various things without ever really trying.

I had a mindset shift and started believing that I could do anything I wanted to do. It didn’t happen overnight. It took years of learning how to practice self love and internalizing and prioritizing positivity. This is a daily practice, but the difference now is that I’ve given life to the words I once used to just speak.

You are beautiful. You are flawed but you are still deserving of love and the first person to show you that should be YOU.

You’ll know you love yourself when it becomes easy to give love freely expecting nothing in return. You’re giving it because you have it to give.

So I made a decision to stop dimming my light because of my own insecurities and not wanting to be seen. You never know who may need your smile or to see you wear something that sparks inspiration for someone else to try it.

Fashion is something I love and it’s okay to share it. So here’s to sharing.

I paired this dress with vintage earrings that I got from a little vintage boutique in Arlington, Tx years ago when I was in college. The earrings make me feel other-worldly because they are so rich with life.

I was torn about wearing black or a more colorful shoe but I just really enjoyed this contrast. A black pump can really dress up any outfit. Try it!

I threw in the Chanel to match my lushes earrings for the win.Never have I felt more like myself than when I decided to get to know more of me daily. I hope this post brings light to your day. Remember that you can do anything you want. You just have to fight against that fear and do it anyway. If I can do it you can do it. Do it in style of course .

I have an affinity for mint green. I’m drawn to it. I don’t wear it often but I always feel like a light when I wear it. You can pair it with so many other colors.

For my look, I paired my mint green sheer blouse with a light peach bodycon dress. I purchased this sheer blouse a few years ago from a thrift store in Austin. It rang in somewhere around $2!

This bodycon midi dress is from Forever 21. I have it in 4 colors. These dresses can act as a basic outline for many outfits . I’ll show you in a later post how I rock bodycon dresses in a variety of ways. They are tight but they are so comfortable! I believe I purchased these dresses at $7 per dress.

I was very pleased with how this look came together, and I don’t normally wear a ton of jewelry but I had a necklace I hadn’t worn in a while that I wanted to pair this look with. I got this statement necklace back in college (I forget where). I put it on and then I also put a silver chocker on with it. I looked at myself and said no no no no! I was having a dilemma. I wanted to wear the necklace but i also felt like my neck needed to be bare so I just started trying this and then the magic happened…

I put the necklace around my waist! Now ya girl is slim but not that slim so the necklace did not wrap around. I took the silver choker and put it in the back and connected the two together to make this “belt.”

It’s important to make sure the clasped ends are on opposite sides for both necklaces so that they can hook on to each other.

I love the way the belt sways when I walk. I may never wear this as a necklace again.

Can we talk shoes? I’ve gotten a ton of compliments on these fun little babies. I was going to wear white heels with this look but I decided to go darker and keep it in the blue-ish green family.

These heels are ultra comfortable and the straps can be tied in any way you wish. The shoes are a faux suede material. I purchased these for $7 at Shu Deal off 635 in Dallas, TX.

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I hope you enjoyed this look as much as I did! Don’t be afraid of color this summer. And remember that you don’t have to spend a lot to look great and if you do spend a lot make sure you’re buying something timeless.

Happy summer my friends!

]]>http://www.bridezel.com/2017/07/03/shades-of-summer-diy/feed/0820DIY DENIM SHORTShttp://www.bridezel.com/2017/07/03/diy-denim-shorts/
http://www.bridezel.com/2017/07/03/diy-denim-shorts/#respondMon, 03 Jul 2017 01:46:51 +0000http://www.bridezel.com/?p=792Summer is here! It’s going to be hot. It’s already hot. I realized I wouldn’t be able to get away with pants and dresses only this summer. I needed shorts. I have a love/hate relationship with shorts because I always feel like they never look just right. They are often too tight in one area and too loose in another. I looked on Fashion Nova’s site to see what they had to offer because I know their clothes excentuate the right features.

I decided to purchase them. BUT! There were two things that stopped me.

Thrift Haul-I knew my friend and fav YouTuber Islee Jo was doing a thrift haul and I would be buying denim there. See her video here.

Smartistabeauty-One of my fav Youtubers showed off her DIY skills in a video and it prompted me to create something. See her video here.

So the shorts became my project!
These two pairs of shorts inspired me to create my own.

The Process:

I purchased a pair of light blue MUDD jeans ($4). I really liked the fit and they were high waisted.

(Please excuse my questionable quality photos and unmade bed ).

I cut the bottom off the pants first and

I cut slits into the pants and stretched them out with my hands to make big holes.

I tried distressing them with sandpaper, a razor blade, and plucking out strings.

I eventually cut them a little shorter because I could not get the flap to lay flat on the open knee look.

I think the shorts turned out well and I’ll definitely wear them. However, when I attempt to distress denim again I will have to make sure it is true denim if I want the frayed edges and strings hanging. These shorts were a spandex blend so there was not much distressing that could be done.

Here is the final look!

Of course I had to slay mama slay my own creation!
I loved this beautiful crop top my cousin Akilah gave me. It just worked so well with the look.

I got this cute tassel cross body bag from Nordstrom Rack and I just love how colorful and fun it is. It’s also extremely spacious.

I hope this look inspired you to DIY your own look! I’ll be taking on more DIY projects so stay tuned.

Because I can! I will come forward and confess that Chance’s music captivated me, but beyond that, his ability to remain transparent, humble, imperfect, and kind is what made me stick around. For the remainder of this week I’ll be sharing my top 5 songs from 4 projects that either belong to Chance or feature him.

It’s hard to choose a true top 5 because I love this project. So I’ll just choose the songs that I find myself replaying the most.

Just Wait – There is a line that Chance repeats over and over “what a delicate heart, what a hard head.” It’s relatable. We have all been in a situation where we did something we knew wouldn’t benefit us but we did it anyway and had to suffer the consequences. He then goes on to remind us that “Good things come to those that wait.”

Windows – This song puts me in a meditative state. I’m just inspired to sit and reflect when I listen to this song. It feels honest.

Caretaker – I love me a grown and sexy sound sometimes and D.R.A.M. delivers. The song is so short. It makes you want more. The lyrics are…complicated. Just listen.

Warm Enough – I screamed when I first heard this song. I was excited to hear yet another collab between Chicago rapper Noname Gypsy and Chance (they have several). This song gives me goosebumps. The lyrics felt like they were cutting me. Not to mention J.Cole hit us with a verse! I didn’t want it to end.

Familiar –Talk about a diverse project! This track has a nice beat that bangs and I like my music loud. The vibe on this song is different from the calmness of a lot of the other songs. I loved the switch up. It’s always a good time when Quavo is on a track.

These are just a few songs from the project to get you started but check out the entire project.

]]>http://www.bridezel.com/2017/04/19/chances-are-14/feed/0776Baddie On A Budget http://www.bridezel.com/2017/03/28/baddie-on-a-budget/
http://www.bridezel.com/2017/03/28/baddie-on-a-budget/#respondTue, 28 Mar 2017 09:04:32 +0000http://www.bridezel.com/?p=750We all want to look good, but spending a ton of money is out of the question sometimes. When I think of the term “Baddie,” I envision a confident woman who is a risk taker. She is not afraid to express her femininity.

I created this look based on this definition of being a baddie and two artists that were in heavy rotation during this time.

I knew right away that I wanted to try the faux silk dress trend and decided to go for this trendy green color because I thought it did a great job of excentuating the fabric.

This dress was $12 from Big T Plaza (Dallas, TX). If you want trendy clothing they are a good place to go.

Initially, I thought to pair the dress with black strappy sandals, but I remembered that I had these cute bright red ones. So I thought, “give them Christmas!” Green. Red. Get it? The shoes made for a subtle pop of color. And guess WHAT? They were $10 from SHU DEAL (Dallas, Texas). I’ve linked to the map of the location I went to because there are several.

I played off of the gold hardware on the shoes to help determine my other accessories. This beautiful chain purse was a gift from my parents for one of my birthdays. I’m also wearing a gold choker from XXI, earrings from Nordstrom, and Rayban Sunnies (gift from bestfriend Gloria).

I know I’m not the only one who likes to create a moment with a look. Eric Bellinger’s latest project, “Eric B. For President: Term 2 (YouTube link),” and Future’s “FUTURE” (Apple Music link) project allowed me to do just that. Eric had me owning my sexy petite swagg, while future had me owning my gangster boujie swagg.

I enjoyed this look so much that we decided to shoot it in different areas. So excuse me while I post a few more pictures from the shoot.

This graffiti wall was so inspiring!

I hope you enjoyed this look. Remember ladies, you don’t have to spend a million to look like a million. Always slay while still remaining humble and helpful to others. Now go and be Baaaaddd within your means.

Photos by-Christopher Hale.

]]>http://www.bridezel.com/2017/03/28/baddie-on-a-budget/feed/0750Levels X Layers http://www.bridezel.com/2017/03/16/levels-x-layers/
http://www.bridezel.com/2017/03/16/levels-x-layers/#respondThu, 16 Mar 2017 12:00:53 +0000http://www.bridezel.com/?p=729There are levels to layering. Always keep in mind that your proportions matter. I really enjoy long denim jackets because they allow me to put so many different options underneath.

I fell in love with this denim jacket at first glance. I loved the heaviness of it. The quality is superb and it has so many awesome features.

One of the features I love on this jacket are the DEEP pockets. I can fit my phone, my wallet, and my keys into those pockets. Sometimes I don’t even carry a purse because of the depth of the pockets. They really create dimension on the jacket.

I’ve also developed a new found love for olive green. I can’t get enough of this Color. There are elbow patch details in this color and along the inside of the collar. What I love most about this jacket is the price. This Denim Zara jacket by way of was Plato’s closet was only $14 (I’m winning!!!).

I then decided on this ultra comfy grey open back skater shirt dress from Top Shop by way of Nordstrom. Anyone who knows me knows I live for a good back! I love having my back out and this shirt dress allowed me to do so without compromising comfort.

Because the shirt dress is super short, I knew pairing it with an over-the-knee boot would really compliment the look and elongate my frame.

Naturally, I went with my current obsession, my Cape Robbin comfy and sexy olive green lace up boots. The boots gave me height and completed my look.

This look was so much fun to put together and so wearable. Remember, it doesn’t take much to create an amazing look. Just make sure you feel good in it and dress the part of the vibe you want to create that day.

Be Kind and look good doing it

-Bri

]]>http://www.bridezel.com/2017/03/16/levels-x-layers/feed/0729DEN DEN + SLAY http://www.bridezel.com/2017/03/07/den-den-slay/
http://www.bridezel.com/2017/03/07/den-den-slay/#respondTue, 07 Mar 2017 02:24:08 +0000http://www.bridezel.com/?p=712Who doesn’t love a good double denim look? I know I do. Denim is such an easy go to for me. You can dress it up or dress it down. There really isn’t a way to go wrong with it.

When selecting the right look, it’s not just about where you are going. It’s about the experience you’ve already created in your mind.

Who is this girl? Where is she going? What makes her feel good?

These are questions to consider in addition to the physical environment. It is important to consider both.

For this look, I imagined myself on the way to a cypher and then a fun fashion show after that.

In reality, I was also aware that it was cold outside and if I were to do a ton of walking, I’d like to be comfortable. So I paired my double denim with my Stan Smith Adidas. I really enjoyed the contrast of my light denim and white shoes with my faux fur Jennifer Lopez coat. I opted for my Chanel bag to compliment the coat.

Never be afraid to bring an experience to life. Don’t look to anyone to understand your look everytime. Commit to the experience that you’ve created and have a great time doing it.

Denim shirt-Old Navy

Jeans-American eagle

Shoes-Adidas (Stan Smith)

Coat-Jennifer Lopez Collection

Purse-Chanel

]]>http://www.bridezel.com/2017/03/07/den-den-slay/feed/0712You Are Not What You Wearhttp://www.bridezel.com/2017/03/01/you-are-not-what-you-wear/
http://www.bridezel.com/2017/03/01/you-are-not-what-you-wear/#respondWed, 01 Mar 2017 12:22:38 +0000http://www.bridezel.com/?p=697I wore this outfit to the Fashion In The Snow fashion show. At first glance, this may look like a girl wearing a long black dress and being at ease with her decision, but let me share with you how long it took this girl to decide that this dress was the right decision.

A few weeks before this event, I made up my mind that old Hollywood glam was going to be the mood I created with my look. When I decide on a look, I am adament about committing to it.

This look was no different. I got online and looked up gold beaded dresses with fringe and found a ton. However, with two weeks away, I couldn’t trust shipping, so I went in store. I never found what I was looking for so I reluctantly changed my mind about my look as it was getting closer and closer to the show.

I decided I’d do a modern sophisticated look. I found the PERFECT dress. It was navy blue and had these beautiful cut out details. It also fit me like a glove. I was in love. I knew this was the dress. This was it! I felt like a queen in it.

BUT! There was a problem. The price tag. It was way out of my budget. I could not afford this dress. I got it anyway. I was 2 days away from the event and I felt like I was out of options. I took the expensive dress home and pretended like the price was not an issue. The next day, I went out and bought some even pricer shoes to match.

I kept telling myself “You deserve these things because you’ve been through so much. This is how you should be living.”

Showtime.

The morning of the event, I felt uneasy. I was hot and my chest was tight. I couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that I made such huge purchases and how I felt like I needed one more item to bring this look to life.

I became overwhelmed by the amount of spending I was willing to do in order to commit to a look. It became less about the fashion show and more about my need to prove to myself that I was worth the purchases.

A few unsatifying hours went by and I told myself, “Brittany, it is not that serious. Just be you and wear something that doesn’t make you feel guilty.”

So I scrapped the idea of the shoes and dress. I pulled out this gorgeous black dress I’d gotten from Big T Plaza months ago and paired it with my black bomber jacket and over-the-knee peep toe boots.

I felt sexy and edgy. I felt like the most beautiful version of myself and most importantly guilt free and anxiety free. This dress was well under $20 and it still made me feel gorgeous. I’ve always known that I didn’t have to spend a ton to look good.

However, I started creating scenarios in my head that my self worth was somehow tied to the amount I spent on my clothing. This was false. I was putting unnecessary pressure on myself about something that was so inaccurate.

I still like and appreciate designer clothing, but I’m now realizing that clothes can’t dictate my value. I am so much more than a price tag. I am uniquely and wonderfully made. I am enough all by myself. Fashion simply compliments my beauty, but it doesn’t define it.

To anyone feeling pressured to prove their worth in anyway, know that you are enough. Reflect on this daily. Keep people in your immediate circle who will constantly remind you of this fact until you believe it.

I know that I am enough and sometimes, I may still have to remind myself of this fact.

Cheers to the look that was created when I came back to this realization.

]]>http://www.bridezel.com/2017/03/01/you-are-not-what-you-wear/feed/0697ODE TO THE RED DRESShttp://www.bridezel.com/2017/02/28/ode-to-the-red-dress/
http://www.bridezel.com/2017/02/28/ode-to-the-red-dress/#respondTue, 28 Feb 2017 20:09:32 +0000http://www.bridezel.com/?p=660I have a love hate relationship with the color red. I don’t really think about it when determining what color to wear.

However, it finds me when I’m least expecting. I bought this red dress a little over 3 years ago for a trip to Vegas.

I thought I’d walk in the store find a little black dress or a little tan dress to fall in love with. But there was something about this red dress that captivated me. I loved how bright and bold it was.

I tried it on and the fabric was soooo soft and the fit was remarkable. It showed off curves I didn’t even know I had lol.

Fast forward. Here we are. Years later. Still living it up. The split in the back is a little higher, the fabric hugs me a bit tighter, the color is a little less vibrant, but the slay is still real.

In honor of this month of life and love, I’d like to give a shout out to this amazing red dress that’s been rocking with me all of these years.

I paired it with my over-the-knee open toe boots and bomber jacket for a casual look.

I also wore my mini crossbody fringe bag to add some movement to my look.